Proofed fabric and process of making same



G. BLENU.

PROOFED FABRIC AND PROCESS 0F MAKING SAME. APPLICATION FILED 1AN.24,I9I9. awww om. Io, 1922.

LQSS l Patented Nav. 2L 1922:.

PYROX YL /N AND MAG/vs/UM CHLOE/D AMMON/M HOSP/ MTE AND vumntoz 4 FABRIC/MPREGNATED wn-H' lPatented Nov. 2l i922.

,GUIDO BLENIO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROOFED FABRIC AND PROCESS F MAKING SAME.

Application led January 24, 1919, Serial No. 272,861.

To lll whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, GUIDO BLENIo, a subject of the King of Italy,residing at New York,in the county of New York and State '5 of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Proofed Fabrics andVProcesses of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.`

This invention relates to proofed'fabrics lo and processes of makingsame; and it comprises a fabric, such as canvas, linen` or the like,`containing ammonium phosphate orother fireproofig salt of like nature,and impregnated with pyroxylin or the like, ap-

plied in such manner as to waterproof the interior of the fabric as wellas particles or crystals of the fireproolng salts therein, suchfabricalso carrying coatings of pyroxy- 1in or the like applied as a pluralityof coatings or layers, some of said layers containing lireproofingmaterials such as magnesium chlorid, boric acid (boracic acid), zincchlorid, etc., the outer coating usually car- 'ng pigments, such outercoating being at.

26 tlmes of an ordinary spar varnish; and it further comprises a processof producing" materials of the character described wherein a suitablefabric is impregnated with a solution of ammonium hosphate, orotherminno eral fireprooing sa t, and is sharply dried,

is then impregnated thoroughly with py-` roxylin varnish or the like toseal the individualiibersand the individual particles of the ireproongsalt in place against the M action of water or airand is finally coatedwith a plurality of layers of pyroxylin varnish, some of said layerscontaining a fireprofing material, such as'mag'nesium chlorid or boricacidand is finally given an external e0 coating advantageouslycontaining a pigment of considerable color, the coating layer being ofpyroxylin or of a suitable spar varnish, all as more fully hereinafterset forth and as claimed.

For many uses, such as aeroplane wings, automobile tops, etc., it isdesirable to have a compound material comprisingV a fabric which shallbe, as nearly as possible, weather and waterproofed and also fireproof.It'is 50 also desirable that the fabric so treated be as light aspossible. It is one of the objects of the present invention to devise amethod 0f producing such a material.

vegetable or animal materials,

-one of the best since Renewed October 10, 1922. Serial 160.593,662.

In the lireproofing of fabrics, whether of A it is in prac- 55 tlcenecessary to use materials which will evolve vapors on -heating,thesevapors being incombustible. The evolution of vapors absorbs heat whilethe vapors themselves seal the 'liber againstthe excess of air.` Forthis 30 1purpose very many mineral salts hafve been proposed, containingeither. ammonia or Water of hydration and losing the ammonia or thewater upon heating. orax, crystallized vsulfate of soda, alum, phosphateof5 ammonia, etc., have been proposed. Of these materials, ammoniumphosphate is probably on heating it not only evolves ammonia but by itsphysical propertles, it operates, more or less, during decomposl'tlon toseal awaythe fibers from excess of air.; However, ammonium phosphatelike practicallyall of the efficient salts proposed for reprooing issoluble in water and the materlal ireproofed is susceptible to theaction of moisture. For weather and waterproofing fabrics Aitiscustomary to use one of the numerous `varnish preparations v,with a,base of pyroxylin, cellulose acetate, copals, etc., but al1 thesevarnishes without excep- 80 tion are combustible. In the presentinvention I take advantage of the properties of the two classes ofproofing materials, using a ireproofng material incorporatedvinto afabric and shielding and holding it in placey by relatively smallamounts of waterprooflng material. To this end, I proceed with theapplication of these materials in a methodical manner. Y

I shall describe whatIregard as the best embodiment of my invention. Irst impregnate the fabric which is to form the basis of my new productwith a solution vof a suitablev flreproofing salt. While I may use anyone of numerous soluble salts containin water of hydration or ammonia,or both, I-regard ammonium phosphate as the best material for mypurposes. The ammonium phosphate used'may be the commercial crystallizedsalt or it may be made by simply neutralizing phosphoric acid Withammonia. The method of preparation is not here importa-nt except thatthe preparation should be as nearly as possible neutral to litmus. Asolution of about 8 to 10 B. 105

per cent strength is suitable for treating ordinary canvas. The fabricmay be dipped' impregnating and drying the fabric I nextv impregnate 1twith a rather thin varnish solution. Various varnishes may be used formy purposes but I regard as the best adapted a "solution of ordinarypyroxylin in such a solvent as amyl acetate having about the consistencyof a light syrup. The solution may be advantageously thinned down asusual' with acetic ether, benzol or the like. The fabric or cloth isthoroughly' impregnated with this solution. It may be rubbed in or thecloth may be worked after impregnation to assure that the varnish entersthroughout the fabric. The object is to impregnate the individual fibersand also the particles or crystals of ammonium phosphate containedtherein. After drying, the fabric is next given a plurality of coatingsof pyroxylin varnish. One or morel or all of these coatings shouldcontain chemicals adapted to render it slow burning or littleinflammable. I consider magnesium chlorid as bein the best material forthis purpose althoug boric acid, sometimes called boracic acid, isnearly as good. Any other more or less deliquescent hygroscopic salt ormaterial soluble in alcoholic or other solutions ofv rox lin mabeemployed. In usin ma iisiug chloriyd I prefer to take thg Corilmercialarticle and dry it to free it of all sensible moisture. The driedmagnesium chlorid is then immediately dissolved in alcohol. A proportionof about 1 part of magnesium chlorid to 4 parts of alcohol or colognespirits works very4 Well. This alcohol solution of magnesium chlorid maybe incorporated in a pyroxylin varnish, alcohol being miscible with mostof the solvents used in these varni'shes. Boric acid if used may beemployed in the same way and in about thesame proportions'. Three orfour coats of this material may be applied to the fabric on each side,or on one side, as the case may be. The coatings may be applied with thebrush or spray. I regard 2 or 3 coats as best although a sin le coatingmay, of course, be used. Fina ly I give an exterior coating of pyroxylinor spar varnish and in this exterior coating I advantageouslyincorporate a certain amount of pigment to give hardness and stiffnessto the surface as well as, in most cases, color. This igmentis alsouseful in protecting the sur ace against the sun and against changes oftemperature. A mixture of yellow ochre and small amounts of lamp blackfor the last coating is advantageous for the reason that I can securethe khaki color desired for aeroplane wings, wagon tops and the like andat the same time have a coating which is resistant to the action of thesuns rays in that it will not crack on exposure to the sun.

In a desirable embodiment of my invention in lieu of using a specialouter coatin of varnish or the like carryin pigment, I may simply mixpigment wit one of the described pyroxylin coatings carryin magnesiumchlorid or the like. As regar s these outer coatings of my fabric muchof course depends upon the use which is to be made of the fabric and asto the permissible limits of weight. In' the accompanying drawing I haveshown more or less diagrammatically fabric such as above described withlegends indicating the several materials.

' In this showing, element l is a central fabric layer impregnated withammonium phosphate, oranother ireproofing salt, and also impregnatedwith a waterproofing varnish, such as pyroxylin. Element 2 is a coatinglayer of pyroxylin or the like carrying magnesium chlorid `or the like.Element 3 is another coating layer which may be of the same compositionor may be of a pyroxylin varnish or the like while the outer layer 4 avlayer of a suitable lvarnish such as spar varnish or pyrox lin varnishcarrying pigment such as oc re, etc. It will be noted that in thedrawing the central fabric layer has the described succession of varnishlayers on both sides. For some purposes this succession of layers mayoccur only on one side; or there may be more succeive layers on one sidethan on the other; this is of course depending largely upon whether itisdesired to have the material of different thickness on the two sides.For aeroplane wings, for the last coat or top coat I sometimes use oneor two coats of spar varnish or enamel paint. It is often advantageousto use as the last coat a coat of nitrate dope (pyroxylin varnish) mixedwith a small amount of yellow ochre and enough lamp black to give thiscoat a khaki color. Where other colors are preferred, any other coloredpigment may be used. Yellow ochre has the advantage of giving a goodsun-resilsting color, protecting the various p rox in coatin a ainst4actinic ra s. yWhzit I claim igsS:-g y

1. The process of proofing fabric which comprises impregnating saidfabric with a water solution of a fireproofng salt, drying to remove thewater, impregnating the fabric with a pyroxylin varnish composition andonce more drying. ,i

2. The process of proofing fabric impregnating said fabric with asolution of amlli? monium phosphate, drying to remove the water from theammonium phosphate, im-

sition and once more drying.

- with a layer of pyroxylin varnish containing miscible fireproofinmaterial.

4. The process o proofing fabric which comprises impregnating a fabricwith gam- .monium phosphate, drying, impregnating with pyroxylinvarnish, dry1ng,'coating with pyroxylin varnish containing magnesiumchlorid and finally supericially coating with pyroxylin varnishcontaining a pigment.

5. A proofed'fabric comprising a layer of fabric containing ai'reproofing salt and also containing an impregnating Waterproongvarnish sealing the particles of salt in place in the fiber of saidfabric, said fabric being also provided with a coating layer of yroxylinvarnish containing a dissolved reproofing material.

6. A proofed fabric comprising a layer of fabric containing driedfreprooiing salt and also'containing an impregnating vf'ater'- proofingvarnish sealing the particles of salt in place in the iber'of saidfabric, said fabric being also provided with a coating layer ofpyroxylin varnish containing a dissolved reproofing material and anouter layer of pyroxylinl varnish carrying pigment.

7. A proofed fabric comprising a layer of fabric containing a reproofingsalt and also containing an lmpregnating Waterproofing varnish sealingthe particles of salt in place in the fiber of said fabric, said fabricbeing also provided with a coatin also ofpyroxy- 1in varnish" containingye low ochre and lamp black.-

8. A proofed fabric comprising a layer of fabric containing driedparticles ofA ammonium phosphate and also containing an impregnatingWaterproofing varnish sealing the particles of ammonium phosphate inplace in the fiber of said fabric, said fabric being also provided Witha coating layer of pyroxylin varnish containing a dissolved tireproongmaterial.

9. A of textile fabric impregnated with ammonium phosphate and alsoimpregnated with p'yrcxylin varnish, the said fabric also carrying anouter lm layer of pyroxylin containing a miscible fireproong body.

In testimony whereof, 1 aix my signature hereto.

GUIDO BLENIO.

roofed fabric comprising a layer

